Start Again | Forbidden Book 2

38. Turning Blue

When Max and Victoria went back to the apartment, and their mother was back at her hotel, they were still arguing about what Sophie had said during breakfast. 

"So is she not always in drama and trouble?" asked Max stubbornly.

"That would be generalizing her" said Victoria defensively "It's not her fault your ex went crazy Max".

"What's going on?" Jos asked annoyed by their loud arguing as soon as they came through the door.

Victoria didn't speak first, surely Jos would make things worse. 

"Mom said Liv is trouble, that all she attracts is drama. That she's always in the hospital or with the police. That she's trouble and I should stay away" Max explained urgently as he walked to his father in the living room. 

Victoria followed, and what Jos said next shocked her to the core. Jos shook his head "We cannot help the things that happen to us, just how we react to them" he said sternly.

Victoria's mouth dropped to the floor. Was this coming from the same man who had repeatedly bashed Liv and even her brother? She was pretty sure she must have misheard. 

Max on the other hand looked even more confused than ever. He didn't understand anything. 

"Well she reacted to this by beating up Lewis Hamilton" he said with a furrowed brow.

Jos let out a loud laugh "Good, someone had to do it. At least she won't get sued for it".

"She won't?" asked Max.

"I don't think so" Jos shook his head.

"Liv and Lewis are really close" said Victoria while shooting suspicious looks in her father's direction.

What none of them knew, what Jos would never openly admit, was that during the last months Liv had gained something not a lot of people had: Jos' respect. She had proved time and time again that she didn't take any shit, that she could defend herself, she could get back up when she was knocked down, she always treated his son and his daughters with kindness (even if that kindness lacked when she treated him), she could've married Max way too soon and used him but refused, and now she was giving his son everything he needed to get better even if she lost everything herself in the process. 

He still didn't like her. She was too loud, talked too much, smiled too much and made too many stupid jokes; but yes, Olivia Perez had earned his respect. 

Sophie on the other hand, just wanted to protect her son. She saw Liv as someone who seemed to attract trouble, and now she had been with Max long enough for him to attract trouble himself. She didn't want that. She didn't want that for her son, she just wanted him to be safe, and she would let him know every time she saw him. "That girl is bad news".

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For the next few weeks Liv would meet Max twice a week. Although their meets were always short lived and they would usually end up with Max screaming in pain as he held on to his head and begged Liv to stop talking.

There was also something else about Max. Something different about him. Compared to the past times they had talked, now he seemed more guarded. Like he was holding himself back from her. Olivia didn't know what had changed, but she could tell his guard was up. He smiled less around her, he seemed less like himself, as if he was testing her even. Waiting for her to screw up.

On Monday they met back at their apartment. Olivia brought the cats and they played with them for a short while until she mistakenly did something Carlota had asked of her.